Things got testy between Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Rep. Maxine Waters at a House hearing Tuesday afternoon when Mnuchin tried to wiggle out of his testimony so that he could meet with a dignitary from Bahrain.
Here’s a clip from the exchange:
Later, Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich went on Fox News and offered this explanation as to why Waters behaved the way she did:
‘I don’t think congresswoman Waters has any idea how wealthy Mnuchin is.’
In other words, Mnuchin doesn’t need to take this abuse. He could always opt out of his role as a public servant and still have a fortune to fall back on.
Taking Gingrich on faith that it’s relevant in this context, Mnuchin, a former Goldman Sachs GS, +0.59% partner, is worth $300 million, according to Forbes.
At any rate, Gingrich’s remark drew a laugh from Fox News’s Laura Ingraham. “[Leaving his government job] would be the best thing that ever happened to him,” she said, adding that Mnuchin would go back to his tony life in New York.
Not so for the congresswoman, Gingrich pointed out.
“Waters might be worried of getting fired because she has no visible means of support. But Mnuchin will be fine,” he said. “It’s amazing to watch the level of ignorance that the Democrats are now displaying.”
Watch the interview:
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